What are the types and effects of ginseng?

Ginseng is a relatively important Chinese herbal medicine and has a long history in China. We also often see legends about ginseng in myths, including some precious Chinese herbal medicines such as Ganoderma lucidum, which are as famous as ginseng, all of which have magical effects. Well, for those of us who don't usually come into contact with ginseng, few of us know about the types of ginseng and the unique effects of each type. Now let’s take a look at the types and effects of ginseng.

Ginseng is mainly divided into three categories

Ginseng is the dried root of the Araliaceae plant Panax ginseng. In my country, eating ginseng has a long history. As early as in the "Shennong Bencao Jing", it was listed as a top-grade product. People began to buy wild ginseng from Korea during the Tang Dynasty. Chen Xuepeng, a Chinese medicine pharmacist and deputy director of the Quality Control Department of Guangzhou Medicinal Materials Company, told reporters that in the Chinese medicinal materials industry, ginseng is divided into three varieties: wild ginseng, garden ginseng and Korean ginseng according to the quality of ginseng, its origin and its growing environment. Various types of ginseng can be further divided into raw sun-dried ginseng, red ginseng and sugared ginseng according to the processing methods.

Garden Ginseng

Artificially cultivated ginseng is generally called "garden ginseng".

Origin: It is artificially cultivated ginseng, mostly grown in Jilin area of ​​​​my country, so it is also called "Jilin ginseng". It is estimated that in the Qing Dynasty about 250 years ago, small branches of wild ginseng were transplanted and planted in Northeast my country, which gradually developed into planting its seeds. The artificially cultivated ginseng was called "garden ginseng". The harvesting time is in September. Generally, the garden ginseng is 5 to 7 years old. If it is dug too early, the ginseng juice will be insufficient and the quality will be poor. According to different processing methods, garden ginseng can be divided into red ginseng, sugar ginseng and many other types.

Red ginseng: Wash the fresh ginseng, cut off the small branches and roots, steam it for 2 to 2.5 hours, take it out and dry it in the oven or sun to make red ginseng. Red ginseng is divided into two types. Among them, the one with a better shape, long reed, long body and long lateral roots is the "border red ginseng". The others are "ordinary red ginseng". Effect: Warming and nourishing.

Sugared ginseng: Soak the washed fresh ginseng in boiling water until it is about 60% cooked. Take it out and prick holes around the ginseng body with a bamboo needle. Place it in a basin and pour in syrup. After soaking in sugar for 24 hours, rinse off the syrup on the surface and then dry it in the sun or slowly roast it over a fire. Efficacy: It is mild in nature and can be eaten directly, but its efficacy is not as good as red ginseng.

Functions and indications: Greatly replenishes vital energy, restores the pulse and consolidates the body, nourishes the spleen and lungs, promotes the production of body fluids, and calms the mind. It is used for physical weakness and imminent collapse, cold limbs and weak pulse, spleen deficiency and poor appetite, lung deficiency with wheezing and cough, loss of body fluid and thirst, internal heat and polydipsia, weakness due to long-term illness, palpitations and insomnia, impotence and cold uterus; heart failure and cardiogenic shock.

After reading the above introduction about ginseng, we should have a general understanding of it. Although we usually don't come into contact with this kind of precious Chinese herbal medicine, we can quickly identify and use it when we need it, so we won't appear panicked and at a loss.